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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29406504">The Pain of Truth - Incomplete</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aaronna/pseuds/Aaronna'>Aaronna</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Incomplete Merlin Stories [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Incomplete, Magic Revealed, Merlin!whump, Open permission to finish the story, Post-Magic Reveal, Read at Your Own Risk, Serious Injuries, cliffhanger-y, just link this story in the inspired by box</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:34:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,506</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29406504</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aaronna/pseuds/Aaronna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Part 1 of my Incomplete Merlin Stories collection</p>
<p>Merlin reveled his magic saving Arthur and the knights from sorcerers and nearly died.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gaius &amp; Merlin (Merlin), Gwaine &amp; Merlin (Merlin), Merlin &amp; Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Incomplete Merlin Stories [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2160225</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Pain of Truth - Incomplete</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>His body was searing with pain when his consciousness returned. He couldn’t remember what had happened or where he was. He could vaguely hear someone calling his name, but he could tell who it was. Slowly he opened his eyes to see snow falling in through massive holes in the council chamber’s ceiling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As his eyes started to fall shut again, a hand tapped his face. As his eyes dropped to the person beside him, a spike of pain shot up his leg. As his gasping breaths quieted, he began to make out what was being said around him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Careful! That is the broken one! Where is Gaius?!” That voice sounded so familiar to his ears, but his mind didn’t seem able to place a name to it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He is on his way, Gwaine. We just need to keep him awake and stem the bleeding until he gets here.” The feminine voice felt so soothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Merlin? Can you hear me? We need you to stay awake. Alright mate?” Merlin tried to speak, but it came out as a weak whimper.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Try not to move. We are not sure just how bad the damage is.” The soft voice caused his eyes to begin fluttering shut.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Merlin! You need to stay awake!” He managed to force his eyes open, but the effort sent shivers down the length of his body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That slight movement sent a wave of intense agony to push a scream from his lips. When the pain faded he heard the first voice that his mind registered. When the hand began checking him over, he knew he was right. Gaius was here.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What happened?” The old physician’s voice was panicked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a new voice that answered. “We were attacked by a group of sorcerers. They froze us in place before setting the room on fire. Then suddenly the flames were gone and the men were fighting Merlin. I never imagined anything like it. He batted everything they threw at him as if it was nothing. That was when they brought the roof down. And just like that, all of the sorcerers were pushed to the wall and we were freed as a golden glow held back the falling stones. As soon as we were all out of the room, the glow disappeared.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That would explain the state of the room and all of his injuries. My stupid boy. He likely held it longer than he should have. He is weak and the lose of blood isn’t helping. With his body this badly beaten, I can’t risk moving him.” Merlin’s hold on the waking world slipped and he was plunged into darkness</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>‘*~*~*’</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When he woke next, he was still on the stone floor, but now there blanket between him and the cold rock. A large tent seemed to have been set up over him and the area had been cleared of rubble. There were also half a dozen braziers lit and a pile of cushions just to his side. As he tried to turn his head, pain surged through him and his vision blacked out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the pain cleared there was a deep gravelly voice whispering words of comfort. Then a wave of warmth flowed over him and he felt his bones move and mend beneath his skin. It was all he could do to keep from screaming in pain. Then the warmness and pain was gone and the cold and sleep reclaimed him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>‘*~*~*’</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Merlin couldn’t find the energy to open his eyes, but he could clearly hear Arthur and Gaius talking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am as confused as anyone else, Sire. Yesterday I would have said he would be lucky to to see the week’s end, but somehow the spine and neck have mended and realigned themselves. He at least has a fighting chance now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Gods Gaius, I thought I had lost him… He let those rocks come down on him because he saw the look of betrayal on my face. When the stones fell, it was just like the day in the Valley of the Fallen Kings. And then he saw just laying there… I was so afraid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t want you to get your hopes up. Just because he is no longer shattered does not mean he isn’t still broken. He may never be the same man we knew.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But there is hope?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A small bit, yes. But if he stays here on the floor, I doubt his chances.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can he be moved?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For a short distance, but stairs would likely undo all of the healing his spine had done.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll see that a nearby guest chamber is prepared. Do you need a hearth?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is preferable, but not necessary. Also, the bed needs to be firm. A soft mattress would do just as much damage as the stairs.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As a warm hand brushed across his forehead, Merlin realized just how chilled he really was. He wasn’t as cold as the time he saw the Cailleach, but his body temperature was much lower than it should be. As if thinking about it made it happen, he began shivering.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh thank goodness! Oh my boy, you shouldn’t scare an old man like that. We need to get you warm, but shivering is good. Very good….”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Merlin allowed himself to slip back into the dreamless abyss listening to Gaius ramble.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>‘*~*~*’</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Merlin woke dozens of times after the conversation between his masters, but like that time, he couldn’t even open his eyes. He felt the warmth, the softness of the covers, even the ever present person at his bedside. Sometime it was Gwen, most of the time it was Gwaine and Gaius, but the one that gave the most comfort was Arthur.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whenever he woke with the king there, he got to hear about the stubborn council, George’s inability to change, or even one sided bantering. A few times, Merlin was sure the man was crying, but with his eyes closed, that was hard to prove. What warmed the warlock’s heart the most was when the prat declared there would be a day off in it for him if he would just wake up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Merlin had tried to let Arthur know he was awake, but a soft moan just led to a pain draft being poured gently down his throat. He had no way of knowing how long he had been like this, but he was beginning to get frustrated. Some of them would feed him and assume he was out and therefore fed him foods he hated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was when he first got anyone’s attention. They were trying to feed him some of the cook’s infamous rabbit dumpling, but he managed to keep his mouth closed. This lead to the person prying his mouth open. Merlin took that opportunity to bite the man.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luckily, the man’s bellow of pain got someone’s attention. Arthur’s. The door was flung open with a bang. Merlin heard his king gasp before rushing over and removing the offending dumpling-giver’s fingers from from his mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took awhile, but the blonde returned and began removing the other man’s blood from around him lips. It was then that Merlin managed to speak, well sort of.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“‘thur.. ‘ank ‘ou…” Merlin squirmed slightly as Arthur stepped back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then the man was back. “Merlin?! Oh gods! You have been awake… What made you bite Augustus?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“‘bit ‘mp’ings.” Merlin heard Arthur walk to the other side of the bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No wonder… I wouldn’t even feed this to the pigs… Oh! Please stay awake, I’ll go get Gaius.” Merlin fell back to sleep long before the two men arrived back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>‘*~*~*’</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was nearly spring before Merlin was able to do anything more than sit up with help and it was summer before he was able to walk at all. Percival had taken it upon himself to be Merlin’s legs for those months. Merlin used that time to read in the library.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What Merlin didn’t know was that during those weeks after the accident that Arthur had on repealing the laws against magic. At first, the council had been sure that their king had been enchanted by Merlin, but after seeing just how bad off he was, they finally passed the new laws. So when Augustus had been rough with Merlin, it had been out of anger at the news.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t until midsummer that Merlin learned of any of this. He had taken to sneaking out of the library with a book and finding somewhere comfortable to read it. He couldn’t walk far or very fast due to a nasty limp he had gained from his injuries. This was why he was in a sunny alcove when he overheard two lords talking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Merlin had been so shocked that he had tried to move too fast and ended up twisting his still healing back just a bit too far. The pain had left him disoriented for several minutes. By the time he made his way back to the library, a small search party had been sent out to find him.</span>
</p>
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